This invention relates to an improved alarm for signaling alarm events. In particular this invention relates to a two-stage alarm for signaling a user of an alarm event and allowing the user to acknowledge the alarm event without enabling the user to disable the alarm.
A variety of so called alarm watches are known in the art. Fatton, U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,671 discloses a xe2x80x9creactionxe2x80x9d timer watch that is utilized to determine the ability of an individual to operate machinery such as an automobile. If an individual is unable to press a button as fast as the predetermined memory says the user should be able to, a message such as xe2x80x9cdo not drivexe2x80x9d is displayed.
Komatsu, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,246,651 requires a user to input a matching count value when an alarm is generated or hold a button down for an appropriate period of time in order to shut off the alarm. Other patents, Thinesen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,544 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,022, disclose mechanisms whereby an alarm time may be modified without interrupting the normal function of the watch. Further, Oogita, U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,084 discloses a mechanism for estimating the lifetime of a battery driven device. In Oogita, a timer records the time when a battery is initially installed in the device and then an estimate is provided for current consumption during on time and off time.
Various types of alarms are disclosed in the prior art as well. Becker U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,797, for example, discloses a programmable watch for use with children with ADHD. The device provides a tactile alarm and then displays a number of preprogrammed messages. One or more of the messages may relate to the time to take medication.
With regard to xe2x80x9cmedicationxe2x80x9d alarms per se, Johnston, U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,711 discloses a timing device specifically described as useful for keeping track of times for taking medication. According to Johnston, the user can only shut off the alarm when the alarm is sounding. This particular invention records the number of times during which the alarm has come on and the user has responded to the alarm by silencing it.
Backner, U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,640 discloses a medication alert watch which is programmable by use of a communication link in the watch with a special cradle at a pharmacist""s office. The pharmacist utilizes a computer link to the cradle to program medication dosage and identification and time for taking the medicine. Multiple medicines and dose times are enabled by the invention. When the medicine is to be taken, an audible tone sounds until the alarm and medication display are disabled by pressing a button.
A drawback to the alarms known in the art is that once an alarm event occurs, the alarm can be canceled by the user. This presents the real possibility that users who consider the alarm a mere annoyance will cancel the alarm and not take the indicated action. Further, there is a need in the art for an alarm that allows acknowledgment of an alarm event only after an alarm control has been inactive for a period of time. That is, the prior art enables users to cancel an alarm event if the alarm has been accidentally manipulated, such as being sat on or activated accidentally by some other means. Thus, there is a need in the art for providing an alarm device which enables a user to acknowledge the alarm without turning off the alarm during an alarm event. It, therefore, is an object of this invention to provide an improved two-stage alarm, such as a medication watch, for enabling the user to acknowledge an alarm event by selecting a second attenuated stage during an alarm event without turning off the alarm.
Accordingly, the two-stage alarm of the present invention includes a clock generator. A memory device for storing data is connected to the clock generator. A data display device is connected to the memory device for displaying stored data. An alarm is connected to the memory device with a first stage and a second attenuated stage. An alarm control device is connected to the alarm for selecting the second attenuated stage during an alarm event. In a further embodiment, the alarm control device also includes an alarm event acknowledgment device for acknowledging an alarm event when the alarm control device is inactive. In a further embodiment, the alarm event acknowledgment device includes a lock-out delay loop that prevents the alarm acknowledgment from acknowledging an alarm event until the alarm control device has been inactive for a preselected period of time. In still further embodiments of the alarm, the data display includes a scrolling alpha-numeric display so that the alarm owner""s identification can be scrolled across the face of the alarm. Other alpha-numeric displays include not only the owner""s name identification but also medication requirements.
A still further embodiment of the invention includes a battery test circuit in the alarm. A connection port is connected to the battery test circuit and a host computer system is connected to the connection port for providing a reference signal to the alarm for comparing the reference signal to a signal from an alarm battery to the battery test circuit. The host computer may also include an input device for receiving owner identification, medication requirements and the like, as well as an output device for sending selected owner data to the memory device through the connection port. Additionally, the preferred embodiment of the invention includes alarms which consist of audio, visual, and/or tactile alarms.
A corresponding method of providing a two-stage alarm is also disclosed and claimed more fully and particularly hereafter.